SpecialK

I had a good session today with my psych counselor I connected with about the time I was doing my clearance for surgery. I hadn't seen her in quite a while and it was a good session. I showed her my scrapbook of my weight loss up to now and was so proud of that. Also explained how my job has been eating me alive in the past months and that is triggering me to eat to soothe things over. I think she is going to be able to help me get back on track. She gave me the advice to seek to get reassigned to a different project due to the problems that have been involved on this one with a particular man who has been really emotionally abusive - just mean. So, now I need to talk with my boss and see what the options are to get put on a different project. At least I had a good cry and got out my frustrations with someone who could listen objectively and not just a family member or close friend who loves me. My Mom is a little afraid 9as I am too0 about how it will look to be asked to be removed off this project but it may be the very thing that is needed for all concerned to show just bad the situation has gotten to be. Hoping to get my sanity back one day at a time on this.

I have started to see Lapband commercials on TV -- they are starting to gear up to snag people who are committing to lose weight in the new year. Seems funny because I never saw commercials about it before I investigated the surgery more than 2 years ago now. In December 2007 I was still jumping through all the qualifying hoops my insurance (Aetna) had me doing. Time has flown by since then.

For those of you with tons of snow, take it easy - we don't want you hurting your back or overdoing it on your heart and things with that snow! Ohio had a 24 inch snowfall last year and I just kept working on 8 inch then the next 8 and then the next 8 inches and I thought it would never end but I did get through it.

I am sure it looks beautiful!

Wow -- 18" of snow! I heard stories on the news of the east coast getting the snow but whoa! Central Ohio just has a tiny bit around, enough to be pretty but not to stop me from getting out and about.

I am promising myself to check in with my support group boards like this and obesityhelp and keep in touch with those who can support me and know what I am going through. Friends and family are just happy I am where I am and that may be part of my complacency is their acceptign me at this weight just like they accepted me at 355 lbs but I know if I lost more, they'd be happy for me too at that.

Thanks Lynnt1215 -- yes I am committed to hang in here for the long haul and I have let down recently on exercise and nibbles so I am definitely not blaming my stall on the band as a tool but on myself so sloppy effort. Thanks for answering back. All good ideas.

This is a great thread I can relate to. Been stalled at -122 lbs for a very long time now, months, and it is my own careless eating here and there, nothing big as I do have restriction, that is keeping me back. I decided to get some counseling from the psychologist I had to see to get my psych clearance for surgery. I am hoping she can help me sort out why I'm using food again to comfort me when I am stressed. I have had the most stressful year job wise I can remember in maybe 20 years and it started in mid-February and has never eased off and it still is projected to go now until April so I am going to get professional help.

I do like the suggestion about writing out a food plan and eating only what is on that instead of just journaling and writing down what I am eating. Plan for portions -- now that might be a good slogan for 2010 for me!

Hey out there to all my Columbus lapbanders! We have missed a December get together. Should I try to schedule a January one and we can all share our New Year's resolutions and how we are getting along on our Lapband Journey.

I am struggling now and could use some encouragement. Kind of stalled out. I am going to get some counseling to try to get my head and emotions sorted out on why I'm stuck - as I know its my behaviors in eating to contribute to some of it, and other part of it is the body has been stubborn to let go of this particular level of weight, like I hit a set point where it is happy -- maybe its really me happy at this weight-- the compliments I get are so nice but I gotta remember to keep going. Some people start their journey where I am now and that is hard for me to mentally get my head into, how they were so motivated about their lapband at this weight. I'll keep trying so don't think I have given up.

Give me a shout out if there is interest in a January 2nd Saturday Polaris mall gathering to check in with each other.

Kathy

lynn1215 -- I see you were at 234 lbs around your surgery date by your ticker/signature and I am stuck right about that number 234 and can use some help with kicking in gear. What all kinds of things were motivating you at 234 to want to have your lapband. I'm afraid that with the loss from 355 to 235 I am too content at where I am and I need to dig inside my head and find the motivation to keep rolling on.

Some of the big motivation things I had like fitting into a seat, buckling the seat belt in the airplane, not feeling like the biggest person in the room, etc. are gone and I am not having health problems at the 233 number I am at, so I know I should think more about what health issues I am pretending I don't have at 233 lbs -- anything you can share will help me. Thanks.

How much have you lost from the 234 and what is keeping you motivated now?

Kathy

Congrats SWood! that one year anniversary was a special mark for me. Keep hanging in there. I figure I am going to try for losing 40 lbs in 2010 -- 10 lbs a quarter -- and see if I can stay on track with that. (plus keep all I have lost off of course).

Hope in April thanks for sharing as I am in the same boat -- love my Christmas baking and things but havent been able to stay out of it. I am going to get it shipped out to family by the weekend and I am promising myself next year not to do the baking unless I mail it the same day!

I am trying really hard to hang in here and not go up but I am also desperately wanting to cross the 200 lb mark and I have about 30 to go. I am going for some counseling here starting next week to see if I can get my head issues lined up to be successful in the new year. It seems I am sabotaging myself and being content where I am even though I easily need to lose 60 lbs more.

Let's keep encouraging each other.

Hi Sillypuddy - yes I had a Bodybugg and I thought it was helping me. I did have a mechanical failure of my first one when it was about 4 months old and I had to spend about 2 hours on the phone with a Mexico-based call center which was very frustrating and then they agreed it needed replaced and it took about 6 weeks or more to get the second one, by that time, I had lost a bit of interest in it but continued using it. Recently my frazzled brain has misplaced the darn thing and I've been looking to see what the heck I did or if I took it off and left it somewhere. I was thinking if I don't find it soon, I will cancel the month subscription I have to pay to keep it up. So, yes, it was fun for a long time but I kind of lost interest. If I could get a used one, I'd consider it again but for now, I think I will switch over to use a free food tracking place like dailyplate or fitday for my food logging as I got out of that habit and need to keep that up.

Maybe my interest in the Bodybugg was impacted by my hitting a weight loss stall period too so don't just go off my ramblings, do what you think is good for you.

I had promised myself to be faithful exercising over the holidays and I've already found that very hard to keep up with given I'm busy but I'm maintaining and not gaining in the Thanksgiving to Christmas time so far and I'll be happy with that. In the past, I could easily pack on a few pounds with all the goodies.

I was thinking about being discouraged at being at -122 lbs for now but then I remembered back that my Christmas 2008 pictures were at -80 lbs so I have lost 42 lbs in 2009 and that's nothing to be ashamed of. As you said with the 1 lb a week type goal, if I could lose 40 more in 2010 with just slow gradual loss, I'd be happy at Christmas 2010 to be sitting at -160 lbs! So that will be my 2010 goal. Slow but steady wins the race. The sprint that I did to the first 80 lbs seems easy now after a year of work for 40 lbs but every pound has been something I have had to make a conscious decision for each day. Some days I blow it, eat something I shouldn't that is higher in calories, other days, I am a little angel. Its obvious that my cumulative behavior is in the right mindset though or I wouldn't be where I am.

I don't need another fill for sure. There are days when I eat a dense Protein like solid meat and its a small portion I can eat before getting my full signal to stop so I don't need doctor help right now - maybe some mental counseling to keep my head in the game would be more beneficial.

Hi Sarah -- way to go with hitting the big 100 -- keep working it and it will be a permanent thing. I keep hoping to see 130 lbs -- been forever in the 120s lost and know I need to keep going. Trying to be careful of portions. I have restriction -- got some beef stew and carrots for lunch today and only ate a few pieces of the meat and 1-2 of the mini-carrots before I was so full I slimed for the first time in forever. I thought I ate slow and chewed but it got me.

I have to say I am so envious of the Biggest Loser contestants who are able to go on that show and have daily nutrition and exercise motivation - even if it is extreme - I feel like I need someone to kick my butt in gear -- but I just keep trying every day. Being here is so much better than where I started and I never want to go back. I did reflect back that last Christmas I was at -80 lbs and so in 2009 I've basically lost 40 lbs so maybe if I keep patient and lose 40 more in 2010, and keep a moving, I will get to the end. Three years probably for me to get to goal in total and that is hard when you hit the mid-stride section of that journey.

Hi ladies. I've been on vacation and also working crazy hours but still hanging in here. Been on a 3 month plateau but still trying to work this 1 day at a time. I still have restriction as I proved in the last day by eating just a small amount of chicken breast one day and a small amount of tender beef stew and carrots today so I guess I just need to convince my body to hang in there and let go of the pounds.

Wow Kidmeister - you are flying through all the hoops it took me months to get through. I'm envious but I would also tell you to remember as I am living it now, this is a long term process to keep going one day at a time. This week I went for a hour long walk on Monday, walked/jogged for 45 min on a treadmill on Tuesday, was lazy Wednesday - played tourist here in Arizona, and today took another 45 minute walk before we go out to our family Thanksgiving feast. Trying to remember to think Portion Control.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

My sister let me know they have a really good quality treadmill in their basement and I went down and got a good workout in this a.m. for 45 min. Trying to set a good example for her that it is possible. Plus it will help me beat back some calories from Thanksgiving.

Hang in there Shamrocks. Remember take a portion and eat it and then see if you have room for more. This is helping me eat small volume but a few more times in a day.

There is something called the 5 day pouch test that is intended to help you physically and mentally test yourself and whether you still have restriction. It was tough but I did it and found it helpful. Google on the "5 day pouch test"

Yes, thanks for the reminder that its going to be normal for some of us to take 2-3 years. I was envious when others got to their goal in about a year and I have more to go. I am in it for the long haul!

I took before pictures and I kept the green sweatshirt top I had in them and then at 1 year took new pictures. I also kept the shirt I took a photo with my surgeon pre-op. didn't keep pants but I know what size I wore and won't ever forget that.

Good luck kidmeister. I have to tell you I am in Arizona visiting with my family who had not seen me since I lost 120 lbs and they are clearly thrilled and happy for me.

The downside is we used to eat and splurge alot on the holidays and I relate to visits here with treating myself with food. Gotta watch it.

I did get out and do a long 1hour plus walk this a.m. for exercise.

Keep working it every day!

K

Hi Shamrocks! Been out of touch a little lately but still working at this lapband thing. I'm in Arizona now for the holidays visiting with family and this is the first time they are seeing me -120 lbs since the last time they saw me. clearly thrilled and happy for me.

Gotta be vigilant though as I still want to eat to relax and enjoy time with them because we did that in the past.

I did get out and took a kick butt long walk for over an hour this a.m. for exercise.

Take care,

K

Congrats Kidmeister! I didn't remember my initial consult two years ago taking 2-2.5 hrs. There is initial paperwork to fill out, and they did a basic exam, they examined my belly area where they would do the surgery, and they explained lapband versus RNY to me and wanted to be sure I knew the difference in the surgeries. What expectations I had about losing with lapband, etc. I will tell you they might try to give you a strong encouragement to switch to gastric bypass RNY as being more quicker weight loss and higher weight loss than lapband but the studies are proving out that lapband patients at 2-3 years out are as successful as RNY on weight loss from what I have read if we are compliant with our diet, exercise, see the surgeon for fill follow ups, etc. If you are firm you want lapband, then he will probably be good with that. They might send you to the hospital part for your nutritionist consultation as part of that 2 hours or maybe even seeing Melissa Webb the bariatric coordinator, not sure how they could fill up 2 hrs. I can tell you there were a couple times I sat in the waiting room for an hour or more waiting to be seen if they get running behind. Take a book or something to keep you occupied.

It is no problem if the steri-strips come off on their own, that is okay and they will do that. They just don't want you pulling them off early if they are itching! My fell off one by one in the shower as time went on.

I think from the time I sent my $300 check in until I got a letter or call to schedule my initial consult it was maybe 1-2 weeks, not very long.

Hi ladies. Yep, still hanging in here. I am off work for a week to just relax and get things I want done and that is a relief from the extreme stress I have been under on my job. I have had a pretty good day today, ate very reasonable and unfortunately I am little hungry here but I am going to try a new approach and start limiting my food eating after 9pm. I also promised myself to get to the gym each day this week, no excuses.

Its good still hearing from hopeinapril, wishin4, sharona, etc. and hope you'll keep dropping by and letting us know how you are doing. Recently it had been mostly me, scrappy friend, potatie, nymc, and a few others I am missing compared to the big group we had originally.

I still have my green CareBear with the good luck four leaf clover and I have him in my bathroom to remind me each day to think of what I committed to. Seems silly for a 53 year old woman to have a CareBear but whatever it takes to get me motivated and keep me going is worth it.

I did set aside $2400 in my health care flexible spending account for 2010 as my way of committing to hoping I can have some plastics late in 2010 if I have done well losing weight. Maybe the breast lift or the arms - brachioplasty because I know insurance doesn't cover any of it, at least I don't think I have enough of a case of back pain from the large breasts to merit enough of a breast reduction with the breast lift and the arms they definitely won't cover under any reason, so I know those are all out of pocket costs. I want to be sure I'm far enough along though before I do that.

Sillypuddy and others - I am heading to the Polaris mall 2-4pm gathering. Hope to see some of you there.

Kathy

Potatie-- so happy for you Katie on your PS this week. I wish you all the best from all of your fellow Shrinking Shamrocks from the March 2008 group.

Kathy

Sharon -- we all seem to be hitting that mid-life crisis, as in mid-life stage of lapband post op. Where we want to be done with this losing thing, be skinny, pretty, or whatever and it just isn't magic for some of us. My surgeon indicated I can lose another 100 lb -- talk about a reality wake up call that I could still have that far to go. I am still getting compliments and I am still going down very slowly in some clothing sizes so I am going to keep on hanging in there. Please don't give up. Tell yourself you ARE WORTH IT. You can do this.

Post every day how you are feeling and ask for encouragement as you did with your recent post. We need to be here for the long term for those of us still working the program!

I look at it like this, at least we are hanging in there, some probably gave up long ago. I never want to go back to where I was 120+ lbs ago but knowing I maybe have 80 lbs to go before I'd have plastic surgery is still a tough mountain to climb.